ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousaf said on Sunday that Pakistani pilgrims will not face any increase in air fares for Hajj 2026, despite rising global oil prices.
The development comes amid rising global oil prices due to the ongoing United States-Israeli war on Iran that has disrupted energy and cargo supplies through the Strait of Hormuz as well as regional air corridors.
Pakistan’s religious affairs minister said last month that the South Asian country had finalized arrangements for this year’s Hajj and that the first flight will leave for Saudi Arabia on Apr. 18.
“We have an agreement, especially with airlines, and under it, they are bound that the package we have for the pilgrims, they will run [flights] based on that,” Yousaf said in an interaction with reporters on Sunday.
“There will be no increase.”
According to the religious affairs ministry, 179,210 pilgrims from Pakistan will perform Hajj this year. Of these, 119,210 pilgrims will travel under the government scheme, while 60,000 will go through private tour operators.
Pakistan has said the schedule for this year’s Hajj remains unchanged.
“The Government of Pakistan and our Hajj mission have made all arrangements for Hajj like the previous years,” Pakistan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ahmad Farooq said late last month.
